Article

Women with Medicaid funding for abortion are more likely to adopt a method of contraception on the day of an abortion

Adopting a form of contraception just after having an abortion is considered safe for most women. In a new study titled, “Role of Insurance Coverage in Contraceptive Use after Abortion,” published in Obstetrics and Gynecology, we found that women with access to Medicaid-funded abortions are nearly four times as likely to adopt a contraceptive method on the day of the abortion as women who self-pay for their procedure.

The findings also suggest that even in settings where Medicaid covers the costs of an abortion, financial barriers to adopting a method of contraception persist for those without insurance coverage. Finally, the study found that one in three women chose the oral contraceptive pill and one in five chose the IUD following abortion, highlighting the importance of offering women a full range of contraceptive options without emphasis on certain methods over others.

Receiving an abortion enables women to take care of their existing children. Being able to delay having a child results in closer relationships between the mother and child and greater economic security